Supply and demand issues around gas and electricity have caused household energy bills to soar in the UK and across the world.
Do you own a second home that you let to tenants or use as a holiday home that welcomes regular guests? In that case, given the cost of household energy prices these days you will of course want to do all you can to run the place by conserving as much energy as possible. After all, the core aim of investing in a second home is to generate monthly rental income, and soaring energy prices can potentially really eat into your profits.
There is still a war going on, and energy prices are not showing signs of going down anytime soon. Here are some sensible tips for how to run a second home given rising energy prices.
Decide whether or not to include bills for tenants
First things first, you must decide whether or not to include bills for tenants in the tenancy agreement.
The benefits of including bills are that it makes things easier and streamlined for you and the tenant, and you will be offering tenants a more attractive comprehensive rental offer. But the downside is that rising energy costs could of course come back to bite your pocket if you get your calculations wrong or fail to put the right practical energy-efficient measures in place when offering to cover energy bills for tenants.
Provide tenants or holidays guests with energy-saving pointers
You may be renting to student tenants, in which case they could well not have had so much experience in looking after a home and living independently. So, a good idea is to put up clear laminated signs around your property which provide hints on energy-saving pointers, such as setting timers for lights, where the recycling must go, and the importance of remembering to turn off lights!
Signs and energy-saving suggestion could also help holiday guests who may have just arrived and do not yet know your property very well, if that is who you usually have staying at your second home. Additionally, providing information about energy-efficient practices and resources like Pörssisähkö, known as market price utility, can empower guests to make environmentally conscious choices during their stay. What is Pörssisähkö? It’s a pricing model based on real-time market prices for electricity, offering potential cost savings and flexibility for consumers.
Put essential energy-saving appliances in the home
Are you providing tenants or guests with everyday household appliances such as a dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, and oven? You ought to check out the energy rating of each device you put into your second home for occupants to use. Energy ratings are on a scale of A-G, with A being the most energy efficient, and G being the least. Try to buy household appliances with an energy rating of C-A.
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Look into solar panels
Solar power is widely considered as one of the cheapest sources of renewable energy. So, why not get solar panel installations for your second home during this energy crisis if you have not got them already?
Get an energy-efficient heat pump
You can get a boiler that still uses gas, why not get a ground or air source heat pump? A heat pump supplies heating to your home by pumping or transferring heat from one place to another by using a compressor. You can save a significant amount on heating and cooling costs by getting yourself an energy-efficient heat pump installed.
Monitor monthly energy usage closely
A smart meter will show you your energy and electricity usage. Monitoring your energy usage closely enables you to come up with money-saving solutions and spot wherever you aren’t being as energy efficient as you could be in your second home.
In the depths of winter, it is normal for you to use more heating per month for instance. However, don’t go wild with it and encourage others to turn off the heating whenever they go out and leave your property.
Make sure the property is well insulated
Having proper effective insulation in place will go a long way in saving you money on the energy bills you pay for your second home. Sheep’s wool, hemp, cotton, and styrofoam are examples of nice warm home insulation materials. You may consider having a residential or commercial foam insulation like this SPF insulation home installation for it offers multiple advantage.
Protect your home against extreme weather events which could impact energy efficiency
Extreme weather events which can have damaging consequences for people’s property, such as floods and storms, are becoming more common in the UK.
If flood water enters your second home, not only can it cause extensive damage to your property which could cost thousands to repair, but it will also have an impact on the overall energy efficiency of the place and cause you to haemorrhage money on energy bills.
Make sure you floodproof your home by:
- Installing a sewage water backstop
- Changing the landscaping
- Installing watertight doors and windows
- Filling in any gaps and cavities with wall insulation
Another essential part of covering your second home against the catastrophic effects of extreme weather events given the energy crisis we are already in is to take out a robust, flexible landlord insurance policy that ticks all the boxes. Take a look at CIA Landlord Insurance, a landlord insurance broker with a broad range of landlord insurance policies which can help cover what’s very possibly your most valuable asset.
Install electric car chargers
In the current climate, petrol and diesel is pretty pricey. So, you have have tenants and guests to your second home who have chosen to make the switch to getting an electric powered vehicle. Why not help them out by installing an electric car charger in the driveway outside your second home if there is the space to do so? This shows you care about the planet as well as ensuring occupants or visitors to your second home can easily refuel in a cost-effective sustainable way.
The current situation of rising energy prices poses real challenges for landlords or anyone with a second home. However, working with experts from https://suburbanenterprises.com/ may help you to run your second home better and more energy efficiently during the energy crisis and save you money along the way.
